As mercury dips, Chennai sees spurt in respiratory diseases

However, while the usual suspects are not keeping doctors busy this year, there has been a rise in respiratory ailments, with more people reporting with allergies and asthma attacks, say pulmonologists.TNN | December 27, 2016, 08:28 IST

Doctors explained the reason why respiratory problems peak: During winter, the air becomes dense and circulation gets cut off.CHENNAI: As the rain continues to tease and the mist plays hide and seek, doctors are seeing a spike in respiratory ailments and a dip in gastrointestinal and mosquito-borne infections that are usual for this time of the year.

Fewer children, who are usually the first victims of an outbreak, are making a beeline outside doctors’ chambers. “There has been at least a 25% drop in fever and flu cases this year compared to the last five years,” said Dr S Balasubramanian senior consultant, department of paediatrics at Kanchi Kamakoti Childs Trust Hospital. He said even the few cases that have trickled in the last one month haven’t been serious.

Most vector-borne cases like dengue and malaria are reported during the northeast monsoon period (October-December). However, this year, owing to rainfall being erratic, there has been a drop.

According to the data submitted by the state to the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme, until December 11 this year, Tamil Nadu saw 2,327 dengue cases and 5 deaths, half the number of cases it saw last year. Similarly the state reported 3,650 malaria cases this year compared to 5,587 cases in 2015. Chikungunya, another mosquito-borne disease, also saw an 80% drop.

“We are also seeing a fall in water-borne gastrointestinal infections like typhoid,” said infectious disease specialist Dr Senthu Nambi.

However, while the usual suspects are not keeping doctors busy this year, there has been a rise in respiratory ailments, with more people reporting with allergies and asthma attacks, say pulmonologists. “Breathing problems usually peak around January once the rains abate and winter sets in. This time we are seeing patients coming in much earlier,” said consultant pulmonologist and allergist Dr Manimaran. The number of patients reporting with asthma attacks usually go up by more than 50% in January.

Doctors explained the reason why respiratory problems peak: During winter, the air becomes dense and circulation gets cut off. Allergens like pollens hang in the air and infect people who inhale them. “This will flare up ailments leading to acute asthma, sinus and nasal allergies,” said Dr Manimaran. Patients suffering from these infections develop sore throat, fever, running nose, cough, allergic bronchitis, and asthma and ear infections.

Dermatologists have also been reporting less fungal infections that usually come with the monsoon and more ailments related to dryness of skin caused by the cold weather resulting in itching.

Director of public health K Kolandasamy said the drop in gastrointestinal infections could be attributed to the intensive campaign by the state government following the flood last December. Chennai corporation along with food safety officials and the directorate of public health have been checking source points of water tankers on the city’s outskirts. “We’ve also been intercepting them en route and ensuring the water is chlorinated,” said Kolandasamy.

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